Changes — inner, outer, for better or for worse

Poison Behind the Throat

“Bendicion mami,” said Elena. She reached up and kissed her mother for the daily blessing.

Her mother wrinkled her nose. “Fó! Lávate la boca!”

Elena rushed to the bathroom. The rebuke had become routine. Up and down, side to side, but no matter how hard she brushed, a strong odor emanated from the back of her throat. It wasn’t only her mother. She began to notice classmates avoiding conversations with her. She withdrew and became the girl with bad breath. Isolation masked the discomfort behind her throat when she drank her lonely tears. Meanwhile, the lump continued to grow unnoticed.